DREAM Act Portal Forum - Public opinions on immigration enforcement, reform shifting

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A recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals the shifting priorities of the U.S. populace in regards to a variety of nationally significant issues. By comparing results to a similar poll conducted in 2007, the Pew Center illustrates how the issues seen as most significant to U.S.-Americans have changed over the past five years. The one issue that has seen the single biggest drop in degree of perceived importance to the sample group was that of illegal immigration. Whereas in 2007, 55 percent of those surveyed saw immigration as a “top priority,” today, only 39 percent see the issue this way. This represents a sixteen percent drop.

Similarly, recent polls conducted regarding the issues seen as most significant to Republicans who have cast their votes in this year’s first three presidential primary elections show that immigration enforcement and reform is not a top factor in their choice of candidate. After the 2008 Iowa caucuses, a New York Times-conducted exit poll revealed that controlling undocumented immigration was the single most important issue overall for Republican voters. This year, one Iowa poll showed that 57 percent of Republican voters actually favor reforming our country’s immigration system to create more opportunities for legal immigration.

And although statistics still show that the majority of U.S.-Americans continue to favor instituting Arizona-style immigration laws in their own states, there may be a glimmer of hope for those hoping to see an end to state-instituted anti-immigrant legislation. This is because, at least one recent poll shows that for individuals living in Alabama, a state which has already passed its own SB 1070-esque law, support for HB 56 has actually fallen dramatically since the law’s passage. Today, as many as 56 percent of Alabama residents hope to see HB 56 repealed or dramatically altered in some way.

Reading through recent polls conducted by a variety of media outlets and research organizations, it is apparent that U.S.-American views on immigrants and immigration reform is undergoing a shift. In one CBS News poll, 70 percent of those surveyed favor allowing undocumented immigrants already working in this country to apply for citizenship or guest worker programs. A Fox News poll showed that 63 percent favor increasing the number of legal immigrants allowed to come to this country. And a variety of polls show over and over again that U.S.-Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to any effort to deny citizenship to individuals born in this country to undocumented parents.

As opinions in this country shift in the direction of working towards fair, humane and reasonable solutions to the problems associated with undocumented immigration, it becomes increasingly likely that lawmakers may be moved to push for comprehensive immigration reform.
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http://www.examiner.com/immigration-...eform-shifting